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1/27/15: Pittsburgh Penguins 5 Winnipeg Jets 3

Pittsburgh ContributionsK. Letang – goes behind the Penguins net and retrieves a dump-in, holds the puck as players move around, then makes a pass from behind the net to Perron exiting the defensive zone along the right-side boardsD. Perron – carries the puck down the right-side boards through the neutral zone, into the right side of the Jets zone, and down to the right corner of the Jets zone as he looks at the slot, then finally makes a pass from below the goal line to the slotN. Spaling – one-times Perron’s pass past Pavelec before Pavelec can even move off the post to attempt a save

Winnipeg FaultsM. Perreault – watches Perron the entire way to the corner as he takes quick glances back to see where Spaling is entering the zone, but doesn’t get himself in the passing lane between Perron and Spaling and also doesn’t keep his stick down to defend the puck as he loses Spaling to the inside of the slot for the goal

1st Jets Goal (Thorburn), Even

Winnipeg ContributionsJ. Trouba – gets to a loose puck in the corner of the Jets zone and chips it up the boardsE. Kane – chips the puck further along the left-side boards into the neutral zoneA. Lowry – picks up the puck along the left-side boards, carries it down the left side of the neutral zone into the Penguins zone, then passes the puck from above the left faceoff circle to the slot for Thorburn streaking past Kunitz to the netC. Thorburn – redirects the puck over the right arm of Greiss into the net

Pittsburgh FaultsC. Kunitz – exits the Jets zone ahead of Thorburn, but loses him as they skate down to the slot in front of Greiss and can’t tie up Thorburn or defend the pass to prevent the goal

Winnipeg ContributionsD. Byfuglien – gets a rebound below the goal line to the right of the Penguins net and moves the puck to the right-side boards to KaneE. Kane – carries the puck halfway up the right-side boards, turns towards the net to draw Sutter over, then makes a pass back to Trouba at the top of the zoneJ. Trouba – one-times Kane’s pass through traffic and it goes off of the glove of Greiss and into the netM. Perreault – engages with Bortuzzo in front of Greiss so they form a screen together and Greiss can’t pick up the shot until it’s too late

Pittsburgh FaultsR. Bortuzzo – screens Greiss as he’s shoving Perreault in front of the net so Greiss doesn’t see the shot until it’s too late

2nd Penguins Goal (Downie), Even

Pittsburgh ContributionsP. Martin – stops a dump-in by the Jets behind the Penguins net and plays it around the boards to GocM. Goc – gets the puck in the defensive zone and flips it into the air into the neutral zone so that it bounces right in front of Downie crossing center iceS. Downie – gets control of the puck as he skates through the neutral zone, enters the left side of the Jets zone, pulls up just above the left faceoff dot, and passes the puck across the ice to Letang skating to the top of the right faceoff circle (cont.), has Letang’s rebound come right out to his stick and he throws it past Pavelec’s right pad before he can stop itK. Letang – winds up and takes a slapshot that Pavelec stops, with a rebound coming out to the slot

Winnipeg FaultsM. Perreault – follows the defense into the Jets zone as the 3rd man back and swivels his head to the left and right, but doesn’t see/notice Letang and skates towards Downie (who is already covered) instead, so he can’t defend the passing lane to Letang or skate his way to defend him at all

3rd Jets Goal (Lowry), Even

Winnipeg ContributionsO. Pavelec – stops a dump-in by the Penguins behind his net, then passes the puck around the boards for KaneE. Kane – holds the puck for a second to avoid Kunitz, then flips it into the air all the way to the Penguins blue line for ThorburnC. Thorburn – gloves the puck down as he enters the Penguins zone, then has it poked off of his stick by Ehrhoff to Lowry directly behind himA. Lowry – uses Ehrhoff as a screen and rips a wrist shot from the high slot that beats Greiss blocker-side

Pittsburgh FaultsC. Ehrhoff – backs into the defensive zone and allows Thorburn to catch the puck in the air and drop it to his stick entering the zone, then Ehrhoff pokes the puck directly to Lowry and screens Greiss as Lowry releases a hard wrist shot

3rd Penguins Goal (Perron), Powerplay

Pittsburgh ContributionsK. Letang – retrieves the puck in the defensive zone, carries it to center ice, then passes it to Perron entering the right side of the Jets zone (cont.), gets the puck from Kunitz, fakes a slapshot high in the zone, then takes a high wrist shot from the high slot towards PavelecD. Perron – taps the puck to the right-side board for Kunitz (cont.), deflects Letang’s wrist shot so it hits Pavelec in the chest and drops between his legs, then pokes the puck through Pavelec’s legs into the netC. Kunitz – pulls up along the right-side boards high in the zone, then passes the puck to Letang entering the middle of the zone

Winnipeg FaultsB. Wheeler – in the penalty box for slashing

4th Penguins Goal (Sutter), Powerplay

Pittsburgh ContributionsP. Hornqvist – gets to a loose puck in the left corner of the Jets zone off of a faceoff and knocks it back to Letang in the neutral zone (cont.), jostles for position in front of the net so Sutter’s pass ends up going off of Harrison’s left skate and eventually into the netK. Letang – pulls the puck back to the red line and passes it across to Martin at the right side of the neutral zoneP. Martin – carries the puck into the right side of the Jets zone, pulls up and takes a hit as he spins to pass the puck down the boards to Sutter near the right cornerB. Sutter – skates the puck below the goal line in the right corner and centers it to the front of the net for Hornqvist, but it goes off of Harrison’s left skate, off of the inside of Pavelec’s goal stick, over Pavelec’s right shoulder, and into the net

Winnipeg FaultsA. Lowry – in the penalty box for chargingJ. Harrison – tries to box out Hornqvist on the crease and ends up directing the puck into Pavelec so that it hits Pavelec’s stick, rolls over him, and falls into the net

5th Penguins Goal (Hornqvist), Even

Pittsburgh ContributionsK. Letang – steps up to a dump-in in the Penguins zone, backs up with the puck, and passes it to the left side of the defensive zone for MartinP. Martin – holds the puck and sees that Hornqvist is the only man at the Jets blue line, so he throws the puck up the boards so it rolls behind the net where Hornqvist can negate icing and get to the puck firstP. Hornqvist – gets the puck behind the Jets net, pulls it in front of the post, and slides it into the empty net

Winnipeg FaultsNone – empty net situation and Hornqvist was cherry-picking as the Jets needed to pursue the puck